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Man with gun undisturbed as he ambles in and out of House anteroom

CONCORD - Even after the House of Representatives on Jan. 2 adopted a rule prohibiting deadly weapons from areas in and around the State House under House control, that didn't stop a man wearing a holstered sidearm from strolling into the House anteroom Thursday.

The so called "gun ban" bars weapons from "the House Chamber, anterooms, cloakrooms, or House gallery."

The man, who identified himself as Brad Winslow of Salem, participated in the Second Amendment rally on the State House steps at noon Thursday. Later, he decided to head on up to the second-floor Hall of Representatives, where the Ways and Means Committee was hearing a bill to repeal education tax credits.

With his holstered pistol on his hip and carrying a rifle used as a standard for carrying a "Don't Tread on Me" flag, Winslow strolled in, signed a petition intended to gauge public opinion on the tax credit repeal bill, and strolled out.

Asked about whether he should have entered the House anteroom while packing a pistol, Winslow said he thought the no-gun rule in the House applied only within the Hall itself.

Virtually no one noticed, and Winslow ambled off, mixing with an assortment of people who went into and out of the House chamber during the afternoon hearing.

Sergeant at Arms Walter Sword said if the gun had been noticed, the man would have been reminded of the rule and asked to leave the domain of the House of Representatives, which is the procedure specified in the rule.